


Stardust Cafe

by starryeyedchar



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Café, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), not at first but you'll see it dw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 07:27:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11641812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryeyedchar/pseuds/starryeyedchar
Summary: Keith didn't expect much when he took a job at his brother's cafe. And he definitely didn't expect to meet a group of amazing people that would forever change his life as a result.Lance didn't expect to actually befriend his new coworker with an 80's mullet and absolutely no people skills, whatsoever.Neither of them expected to fall in love.





	Stardust Cafe

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE! To celebrate, I’m posting the first chapter of this AU that I’m co-authoring with an irl friend! We’ve had this idea for a while, and we’re really excited to share it with you!

Getting a job at his older brother's cafe wasn't _Keith’s_ idea.

Dropping out of college earlier that year was the best decision he had ever made, but he should've known it wouldn't come without consequences. Those consequences being, namely, dealt out by his brother, Shiro.

Granted, he was supportive of Keith's decision, but he hadn't counted on Shiro insisting that he do something with his life.

As far as Keith was concerned, getting his life together and figuring out exactly what he wanted to do should take pretense over actually _doing_ something, but Shiro clearly disagreed.

“You have to get a job,” he'd pointed out. “You've incurred a lot of debt since you dropped out of school. You know I support you, but you need some way of earning money while you figure everything out.”

And so Keith had reluctantly agreed to get a job at Stardust Cafe, which was owned by Shiro himself.

Keith didn't know the exact details, but the previous owner, Alfor something, had left it to Shiro when he passed away, as he’d worked there for all of college and part of high school, and knew he wanted to work in the restaurant business. And, with an incredible stroke of (admittedly bad) luck, Shiro had exactly what he wanted.

This was how Keith ended up pushing open the door to the Cafe, and jumping slightly at the unexpected jingle of bells. He'd never actually _been_ inside Shiro's cafe before, despite constantly being pestered to go.

He glanced around at the circular tables and chairs in the other half of the shop, and at the back was an elevated platform, that looked almost like a stage, with more seating. That side was separated with an open wall, and Keith looked toward the front.

A few people were standing in line, waiting by the counter. A chalkboard menu behind it listed the food options, and Keith could see the door into the kitchen behind the people working there.

He had vaguely expected Shiro, but he was surprised to find the person standing at the cash register was much younger, probably about Keith's own age, with dark hair, eyes, and skin. Admittedly, he was kind of cute.

Keith definitely hadn't thought he’d meet any cute guys because of this job.

The guy behind the counter was glaring down at the cash register as if it had personally offended him, before he turned around and called into the kitchen. “Pidge! I need your number skills!”

A scoff sounded from somewhere inside, and a... boy? girl? walked out carrying a textbook that looked as if it weighed more than her... him… _them_. They set the large textbook down on the counter, and glanced up at the tall guy.

“Lance, do I have to do everything for you?” Pidge asked, shaking their head.

The guy, who Keith now figured was named Lance, crossed his arms. “It's not my fault that this cash register doesn't even work.”

Pidge rolled their eyes. “It works fine, you just don't know how to use it.” To prove this, they stepped forward and pressed a few buttons before handing change to the waiting customer, a girl with large hoop earrings and a pixie cut, smiling as she left. “Seriously, I'm surprised Shiro doesn't fire you. This is the easiest job here, and you can't even do it without my help.”

“I'm surprised Shiro doesn't fire _you_ ,” Lance shot back, as he took money from the next customer before handing it to Pidge. “You spend all your shifts doing physics homework.”

Pidge laughed, handing change back to the customer, along with a muffin from a display case that Lance gave them. “Taking AP Physics sophomore year has its consequences,” they admitted. “But I pick up everyone's slack. Plus, Shiro likes me, and you all know I need the cash.”

Lance nodded grudgingly, and then his gaze swiveled to Keith, which is when the latter conveniently realized that there was no longer anyone in front of him.

Lance's eyes widened, almost imperceptibly, which drew Keith's attention to them. He saw that Lance's eyes, which he had originally thought to be brown, were actually a deep navy blue.

Keith was about to ask to see the manager, when Lance leaned forward across the counter with a smirk, propping his chin up on his hand. And then, he _winked_.

Keith's brain short-circuited.

“Do you have a map?” Lance asked, still smirking, and Keith was so surprised that he almost admitted that yes, he did have a map. But Lance was talking again before he could. “Because I keep getting lost in your eyes.”

Keith felt his face begin to flame in spite of himself, and there was an audible groan from Pidge. “These one-liners just keep getting worse,” they grumbled.

Lance sighed. “You're the worst wingman... well, wingperson ever Pidge.”

Pidge sniffed in mock resentment, before cracking a grin. “I don't remember agreeing to be your wingperson,” they deadpanned, before turning back to a still blushing Keith. “What can I get for you?”

“I…” Keith took a moment to collect himself. “I need to see the manager.”

Lance didn't miss a beat. “Normally people try our food before they demand to see the manager to complain about it,” he pointed out, still wearing that infuriating smile.

Pidge snorted. “He's probably going to complain about you, Lance. Didn't Shiro warn you to stop flirting with all the customers?”

“I'm not a customer,” Keith said, without thinking. “The manager... Shiro's my... I just need to talk to him, okay?”

“I'll go see if he's in the kitchen,” Pidge said, still seeming confused.

“What're you here for anyways?” Lance asked, lifting a smoothie (that Keith hadn't even noticed until now) to take a sip. “If you're not buying any of our delicious food, I mean. The chef is my roommate, I can personally vouch for him.”

“I'm supposed to start working today, actually.”

Lance nearly choked on his smoothie. “What the fuck?!”

Keith wasn't sure how to respond, so he just waited for the taller boy to elaborate.

“Did I miss the help wanted sign? You can't just... there isn't a job opening!” Lance protested, throwing his hands up in the air as if the world had to be playing a trick on him. “ _Mierda,_ first Allura starts working at the counter sometimes, and now this!”

“Well, someone has to pick up your slack, Lance,” a new voice said, and Keith turned to see a woman coming out of the seating area. She had thick, curly white hair done in an elegant bun, and her skin was dark and smooth. She carried an empty tray in each hand, with a pen tucked behind her ear.

“You guys act like I'm the only one that slacks off around here,” Lance muttered under his breath. “Allura, would you please tell this _idiot_ that there aren't any job openings?”

“That idiot is my brother, Lance,” yet another person spoke, but thankfully Keith knew this one. Shiro had stepped out of the kitchen, followed by Pidge.

Lance's gaze swiveled back and forth from Shiro to Keith. “ _This_ is your little brother Keith?” Shiro nodded. “But... you always talk about how _cool_ he is! You said he has a motorcycle!"

“I do have a motorcycle?” Keith didn't mean for it to be a question, but the confusion he felt seeped into his voice.

Lance waved a dismissing hand at him. “Sure, but you also have a mullet, and that negates any coolness factor you might have possessed, motorcycle or no.”

“Excuse me?”

Shiro sighed. “Regardless of his hairstyle choices, Keith is my brother, and he'll be working here with us starting today. That's not going to be a problem, is it, Lance?”

“I was wondering why you decided to bring everyone in today,” Pidge was already nodding, extending a hand to Keith. “I'm Pidge. Yes, I'm short. Don't make jokes about it and we'll get along fine. They/them pronouns, and if you disagree with that sort of thing, then that's tough for you. Still in high school, by the way, but I'm broke so I started working here. That's pretty much all you need to know.”

Keith shook their hand, mind trying to process what Pidge had said so quickly. “Uh... great?”

Pidge grinned, and retreated back into the kitchen. “I'll go get the others.”

“I'm Allura,” the woman who'd walked in earlier chimed in. “This used to be my father's cafe, but Shiro and Coran own it now... though Coran hates being in charge, which makes Shiro the manager. We have a pretty small staff, and I'm typically the one who waits tables. It's nice to finally meet you!”

Shiro fixed Lance with an expectant look, and he crossed his arms before glancing up at Keith with an annoyed glare.

“You're shorter than I thought you'd be,” Lance informed him. “Shiro made it sound like you were some rebellious tough guy.”

“ _Lance_ ,” Shiro insisted, narrowing his eyes. Lance sighed, defeated, and shook Keith's hand.

“The name's Lance,” he deadpanned. “I work behind the counter.”

That seemed like all he wanted to say, but fortunately for Keith two more people were coming out of the kitchen.

“I'm Hunk,” said the bigger guy, with a friendly smile. He wore a bright yellow apron that was positively covered in flour. Almost the second he was out, Lance leaned an elbow on his shoulder. Hunk sighed fondly. “I'm the chef. I made the majority of what you see here myself.”

“I made some of it,” the other man, an older guy with a mustache, pointed out. “I'm Coran. I help out in the kitchen, but mostly I make drinks.”

“You... make cocktails?” Keith asked, confusion only rising.

Coran barked out a laugh. “Of course not! Smoothies, milkshakes, coffee, tea, and all those things take time to perfect, young man.”

“Well, you've met everyone,” Shiro clapped a hand on Keith's shoulder. “Now you can get to bussing tables. It's something we've all shared the responsibility for, but having someone to do the job by themselves is probably the best course of action.”

Keith nodded. He was a very clean person, and he'd told Shiro that he'd only work at the cafe if he didn't have to deal with food _or_ people.

“Oh, thank god,” Lance breathed out, before Keith could say anything. “He's just going to be a busboy.”

Keith scowled. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Lance threw his hands up in surrender. “I'm just glad you aren't taking my job, that's all.”

“Don't worry, Lance, you're the only one charming enough to ensure that customers always return,” Allura said, her voice walking that thin line between detectable sarcasm and sincerity.

Lance squinted at her, but either decided she was being honest or didn't care, because he just winked. Then, he grabbed Hunk's arm and dragged him back into the kitchen.

“You all seem very... nice,” Keith searched for the right words. “I guess I might like working here.”

“You'll fit right into our dysfunctional family,” Pidge guaranteed with another grin.

 

* * *

 

“You hit on him, didn't you?” Hunk asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lance groaned, and buried his face in his hands. “It's not my fault! Did you _see_ his eyes, Hunk? Those are the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen!”

Hunk shook his head. “You said the same thing about that brunette last week.”

“But I _mean_ it this time,” Lance sighed dramatically, collapsing into Hunk's shoulder. “And now I have to deal with him every day. He's probably decided that he hates me already!”

“Relax. You've hit on regular customers before, why is this any different?” Hunk tried for encouragement. “Shay forgave you after that atrocious thing you said when you two first met! What was it again…? Something about sedimentary rock—”

Lance smacked a hand over Hunk's mouth. “I'd rather not go down memory lane for all my past romantic failures, thank you, Hunk,” he grumbled. “It was such a good line, too! One of my favorites!”

“He works here now, sure, but he's not going to hate you just because of a stupid pick-up line.”  
    “Pick-up lines aren't stupid!” Lance cried, clutching a hand to his chest as if wounded. “And even if he doesn't hate me, I'm not sure I like him all that much. He kind of seems like a jerk.”

“Which, I'm sure, is why you used one of your favorite lines on him,” Hunk said, voice laced with sarcasm. Lance felt his face turn bright red.

“I didn't— I just— okay, FINE! He's hot! What else do you want me to say?”

Hunk laughed. “I thought you said his mullet negated any sort of cool factor he had?”

“He's not cool,” Lance protested, shoving Hunk back towards the stove. “But... he kind of... pulls it off I guess? Which you are forbidden from ever telling him, or I will disown you as a best friend and move in with Pidge. After all, the guy still acts like an asshole.”

Hunk just laughed again, returning to making a grilled cheese that a customer had requested. But, as Lance was about to return to the register, he whirled around, grinning.

“I remember now!” he declared, excitedly. “The first time we met Shay was in the winter, when she came to get tea because of a cold, remember? I mean, now she gets it every day, but she was really bundled up, with a scarf and jacket and everything!”

“Oh no—”

“And you said, ‘girl are you a sedimentary rock?’” Hunk did a terrible impression of Lance's voice, aiming finger guns at his best friend in mockery of Lance's own behavior. “‘Because I'd love to see what's under all those layers.’ And she was so surprised she couldn't respond, so I came out of the kitchen to apologize.”

Lance smacked his head deliberately on the doorframe on the way out, only to meet the confused gaze of Keith. Great, now Shiro's brother thought he was crazy, too.

It was going to be a long day for the both of them.


End file.
